Chapter Fifteen

Sonny was used to being dragged into the PCPD every time a crime was committed. In fact, he had come to expect it. It was as if every crime had something to do with him. In all fairness, most of them did but the PCPD never had any proof. Sonny would have thought the cops would have given up by now. The only thing he was ever convicted of had nothing to do with the PCPD. He hated to admit it but Ric played him perfectly.

After about twenty minutes, the walls of the interrogation room were starting to close in on him. He fought the urge to pace the room as he waited. Sonny wanted nothing more than to just leave but knew it was an option. Finally just as he was about to lose it Mac and Lucky came in the room.

Lucky leaned against the wall arms folded across his chest. While the police commissioner sat at the table. It was clear for their actions that Mac was in charge of what ever it was they were investigating. Sonny had no idea what could have gone down that was so important that Mac was handling it himself.

"How much do you hate your brother?" Mac asked suddenly. He wanted to keep off guard; the mobster was not exactly stable. By not telling Sonny what was going on Mac hoped to make him react without thinking it through.

"I don't have a brother." Sonny snapped back automatically. The fact that he shared blood with someone like Ric Lansing disgusted him. The man was like a virus that just wouldn't go away.

"You might not think of Ric as your brother but the fact remains he is your brother. Now answer the question."

"You interrupted my breakfast and brought me down her for this? Have you lost your mind, Mac?" Sonny sneered at the men. 'Didn't they know who he was? That he was untouchable?'

"Its common knowledge you hate Ric, especially after he got you locked up. We all know you are going to exact revenge, that it is just a matter of time. My question is how far are you willing to go?" Mac said looking Sonny in the eyes. He was just barely containing his emotions. It had been a long and emotional night, leaving them with no more information than when Gia left.

"Okay so what is Ric accusing me of now?" Sonny asked rolling his eyes. He should have known this was some kind of frame up. Ric was just going to have to learn Sonny Corinthos always won.

"Nothing yet. Think of this as more of a ... preemptive chat if you will." Mac said casually. Bringing Sonny in for question just made good sense. If anyone was after Ric, it was probably the mob boss. He had done what no one else had managed. He had made sure Sonny and Jason were convicted of a crime.

"Something has happened though." Sonny asked trying to read the situation. He could see the anger just beneath the surface of both men.

"What do you care? And as long as you are not responsible, it is none of your business. If you were involved, I would recommend that you confess now. Trust me we will be much more forgiving than Ric."

Sonny's brown eyes narrowed at Mac's statement. Something big was going on. Something that involved Ric. Maybe Jason's plan whatever it was had been put into motion. He just wished the enforcer had warned him first. Sonny hated being caught off guard. "If you're accusing me of something I want a lawyer."

"Like I said we're just talking." Mac said with a shrug. He could tell that him not revealing anything was frustrating Sonny. It was a good tactic that Mac would have to remember in the future.

"So I'm free to leave than?" Sonny asked standing up.

"Absolutely. Although if I were you I would avoid Ric." Mac warned as Sonny headed for the door.

"Is that some kind of threat?" Sonny asked frozen at Mac's words. He had not forgotten how far Ric went once before. Courtney almost died be Ric decided to play games with him. He hoped this time that Jason could stop Ric, permanently.

"Think of it as a warning." Lucky said coldly speaking for the first time. He had promised Mac that he would stay quite. He should not even be on the case because of his connection to Elizabeth. The only reason Mac let him was because Lucky couldn't be bought. Sonny and Jason had no ability to sway Lucky and the mobsters knew it. That fact alone made him invaluable to the PCPD.

'What in the hell is going on?' Sonny wondered as he stormed out of the police station. He needed to find Jason and get some answers.

"Make sure he's followed." Mac said truing to face his subordinate.

"You know he is going to pick up a tail."

Mac nodded at Lucky. "That's what I am hoping for."

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Ric sat alone in his darkened office. He was looking back over the few facts they knew about Elizabeth's disappearance. He had not made it back home in the last two days. The mere thought of being there without Elizabeth did strange things to him. He knew he must look like hell. Ric hadn't slept or ate since he realized Elizabeth was missing.

Mac had dragged Sonny in for questioning yesterday morning. Ric had wanted to be there but knew it wasn't a good idea. He would have probably attacked Sonny and ruined the investigation. From what Lucky told him Mac's new tactic had been somewhat effective.

Jason was going to be brought in any minute. It had taken them nearly a day to find the enforcer. They all knew Jason was not going to say anything, he never did. The fact he was dragged down to the station would annoy him. It also gave them a small chance to search his penthouse.

All he really wanted though was to find Elizabeth. Ric needed to see for himself that she and their child were safe. As appealing as going after Sonny and Jason was it wouldn't solve anything. That did not mean Ric couldn't investigate on his own.

Before he could do anything Ric had to call Audrey. He wanted her find out from him and not some reporter. Ric flipped over the paper containing Audrey's number. Finally, he took a deep breath and dialed. Someone answered halfway though the second ring. "Hello?" A male voice said immediately.

"May I speak to Audrey Hardy please?" Ric said picking Elizabeth's picture off the desk. He remembered the day he took it. It was just after they moved into their new home. They had both been so happy, now Ric felt like he was in some sort of hell.

"Who is this?"

"Ric, Elizabeth's husband."

"Lizzie is married?" The man asked stunned by the news. 'When did his baby sister have the time to get married?'

"I assumed Audrey would have said something." Ric said realizing he was speaking with Elizabeth's brother.

"She said if I wanted to know about Lizzie to call her myself."

"Yes you should." Ric smiled briefly, at what Audrey had done. It had taken Ric awhile to earn her approval. Ironically, all it took was staying with Elizabeth and loving her. He could have told Audrey that being with her granddaughter was the easiest thing he ever done. "May I speak with Audrey now?"

"Ric why are you calling? Is everything alright?" Audrey asked when she got on the phone.

Ric regretted calling Audrey. The older woman did not need this. "I... I thought you should hear it from me."

"Hear what?"

"Elizabeth... she... she's missing." Ric said taking a deep breath when he finally got the words out. Every time he said or thought those words, Ric wanted to be sick. It did not help that Ric blamed himself.

"What? How can she be missing?"

"I... I don't know. She went shopping with Gia and just disappeared." Ric reluctantly admitted.

"Oh god." Audrey said starting to cry.

"Practically the whole department is looking for her. I just wanted to be the one who told you." Ric said trying to reassure Audrey. He knew Mac was doing everything that could be done at this point. The problem was that so far there were no leads to follow.

"I'm coming home right away."

"I figured you would. Do you want me to pick you up at the airport?" Ric asked torn between waiting to find Elizabeth and the respect he had for her grandmother.

"No. Just focus on finding Elizabeth."

"I will." Ric said quietly hanging up the phone. Ric paced the room restlessly. He needed to do something, anything. Exhausted Ric finally collapsed on the sofa. It did not take long until Ric fell into a restless sleep.